A bit of a late update - having got to look at an Allocacoc PowerCube Extended USB while on holiday, I'm thinking the PowerCubes are the most desirable option, even though they're relatively expensive, as they do feel more solid than the cheap commodity types. Plus, they brilliantly deal with the plug-pack irritation, so overall they're the best of both worlds.
Actually obtaining them has been less easy, though; neither Bunnings nor Harvey Norman seems to have any locally. I take that this has to do with the price, as well as them not bothering with surge suppression (which, as has been noted on this forum before, has been sensationalised far too much for its technical good).
